Dagon

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Dagon
The demonic rune of Dagon.
(Deity)

Titles
The Shadow in the Sea,
Shadow Lord of the Sea,
Demon Lord of the Sea and Sea Monsters1
Realm
Alignment
Areas of Concern
Deformity
Sea monsters
The Sea
Worshipers
Desperate or insane coastal dwellers, boggards, heretical sedacthys and ulat-kinis, krakens, marsh giants
Edicts
Swim underwater, improve your strength, encourage spread of dangerous sea creatures
Anathema
Break a sworn oath, settle land-locked areas, share Dagon's secrets with others
Cleric Alignments (1E)
Domains (1E)
Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Water
Subdomains (1E)
Catastrophe, Demon, Oceans, Rage
Cleric Alignments (2E)
Domains (2E)
Change, destruction, water, zeal
Favored Weapon
Symbol
Gold disk inscribed with sinister runes around an open octopus eye
Sacred Animal
Sacred Colors
Blue, gold
Source: Book of the Damned, pg(s). 40–41 (1E)
Gods & Magic, pg(s). 76–77, 124–125 (2E)
Dagon
(Creature)

Type
Outsider
(chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, water)
CR
28
Environment
Any oceans (Outer Rifts)
Alignment
Source: Bestiary 4, pg(s). 46

Dagon (pronounced DAY-gon)2 is the demon lord of the sea and sea monsters13 that dwell in its darkest depths.4

Dogma

Like other demon lords, Dagon is able to grant spells and other powers to his worshipers. He encourages them to swim underwater, increase their own strength, and propagate dangerous sea monsters. He considers the breaking of oaths as a sin against him, forbids his followers to settle in land-locked areas and share any secrets with those outside of his cult.5

History

One of the oldest beings of the Outer Rifts, Dagon predates the advent of mortal life and demons and began life as a qlippoth lord. In those days he was a ravenous, nameless, mindless sea monster that ate everything that crossed his path. After having consumed countless demons and larvae, Dagon became intelligent and infused himself with mortal sin, becoming a demon.6

Dagon is said to have slain the great kraken Kaktora, thereby creating the devilfish now haunting Golarion's oceans.7

Home

Dagon dwells in the depths of the Abyssal sea of Ishiar,1 in Ugothanok, a sunken city with architecture so ancient as to be almost alien.48

Appearance

Dagon's appearance is hideously monstrous and somewhat alien, being neither fully fish, eel, nor octopus; he is some foul amalgamation of all three. He has the lower body of an eel, a horrific face, and four tentacles in place of arms. Dagon is one of the largest demon lords, measuring 35 feet in length.19[citation needed] His spawn often take after him, being similarly disgusting combinations of deep sea creatures.4

Relationships

Dagon revels in the intelligence he earned by becoming a demon, and does not want to return to his origin as a mindless qlippoth lord. He bears the qlippoth no ill will but does not allow them within his realm.6

Church of Dagon

Worshipers

Dagon is quite active on the Universe, regularly sending his demonic minions to the deep oceans of the world to become high priests for evil aquatic monster races,1 such as the gutaki. He is even worshiped by some of the more savage sedacthy10 tribes.[citation needed]

Dagon's is also revered by some debased coastline societies, who often maintain a façade of worshipping another deity. In these twisted communities, land dwellers mix with ichthyic beings from the depths, spawning horrible cross-breeds which have no place in the natural order of things. Marsh giants are normally the most fervent of Dagon's land-based followers, but his cult has been growing amongst humans in isolated villages, who secretly turn to his worship, sometimes on the promise of bountiful fishing or alien golden jewellery.4816 Some sailors also worship Dagon, luring ships to collide with rocky shores and performing blood sacrifices to call forth sea monsters.11

The surface of the Abyssal realm of Ishiar is inhabited by fiendish and half-fiend humans known as Ishians, who seek to impress Dagon by constantly fighting each other and by claiming new islands in his name.6

Some of Dagon's followers (particularly deep ones) also worship the Great Old Ones, most often Cthulhu, mixing the traditions of both into a single blasphemous religion. Some elder deep ones take his name for themselves, which Dagon sees as a compliment.6

Temples and shrines

Dagon is usually worshipped in decaying churches, caves, or lighthouses located near the sea, or in dark underwater cathedrals.9[citation needed]

Unholy symbol

Dagon's unholy symbol is an octopus eye surrounded by a gold disk inscribed with ancient looking runes.9[citation needed]

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 James Jacobs, et al. The Inner Sea World Guide, 232. Paizo Inc., 2011
  2. Erik Mona, et al. “Appendices” in Campaign Setting, 246. Paizo Inc., 2008
  3. While The Inner Sea World Guide capitalises the words demon lord and the areas of concern, it is the only source to do so.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 James Jacobs. Demon Lords of Golarion” in Descent into Midnight, 57. Paizo Inc., 2009
  5. Paizo Inc., et al. “Appendix” in Gods & Magic, 124–125. Paizo Inc., 2020
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Paizo Inc., et al. “Chapter 1: Fiendish Divinities” in Book of the Damned, 41. Paizo Inc., 2017
  7. Nicolas Logue & Mike McArtor. “Bestiary” in Edge of Anarchy, 80. Paizo Inc., 2008
  8. 8.0 8.1 James Jacobs. “Lords of the Abyss” in Lords of Chaos, Book of the Damned Volume 2, 14. Paizo Inc., 2010
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Paizo Inc., et al. Bestiary 4, 47. Paizo Inc., 2013
  10. Paizo referred to sedachtys as sahuagins and sea devils until the publication of Monster Core.
  11. Colin McComb. “Minor Deities” in Faiths of Corruption, 18. Paizo Inc., 2011

External links